Remembering Breastfeeding: A Mother and Baby Session at Home
Remembering this stage before the first steps
This mother wanted to remember breastfeeding and life with her little boy before he took his first steps. I joined them at home for a morning together, photographing the feeds, cuddles and small details of their everyday life. She already made family albums each year; this baby session at home was a way to be in the photographs with him, too.
Her session was in the morning, and when I arrived, her little one was just finishing his nap. We took this quiet time to chat and exchange stories of motherhood. My own kids were older then (they slept through the night, thank goodness!), but I remember those days well! She showed me the lovely albums she printed each year. Displayed on the front door, I saw drawings and photos from her eldest daughter, who was at school that morning. She went to the baby’s room and returned with her little one, all cosy and warm from his sleep. It was time for a feed, and my documentary work began.
A morning of feeds, cuddles and play
We had an hour and a half together, with time for feeding, cuddles and play. I followed their rhythm, photographing this mother caring for her little boy as she usually would.
Around them were the little details that made this their home: the cat watching out of the window, a cup of tea resting on the table, tiny socks drying in the bathroom and colourful toys in the living room corner. These were part of the story too, alongside the smiles and the way she held him.
The home around them
The drawings on the door brought his older sister into the story, even though she was at school. The rooms, toys and familiar objects placed these photographs in a particular moment of their family life.
You can read more about having a photo session at home if you would like to explore this approach.
Seeing the albums his mother made each year stayed with me. These photographs could sit alongside those family memories, keeping a trace of breastfeeding and the everyday closeness of this stage, before the first steps.
Your own baby story in Dublin
I offer documentary baby photography sessions in Dublin for families who would like to remember their own everyday moments. You can explore the sessions and get in touch to tell me a little about your baby and what you would like to keep.
